Whether you are only just starting with your acting career, or whether you are wanting a change in direction from your existing career to go into acting, everyone will have to go through the same learning process.

The biggest and simplest tip that you can be given, is to first of all set your expectation level about breaking into the acting industry.

If you want to become an actor or actress, you must be prepared that you will be entering into a very cut throat industry, and the likelihood of you becoming a Hollywood star overnight is virtually zero. Therefore, if you can start an acting career with an open mind, and with the expectation that your journey is going to be long and hard to become an established and well-known actor, you are already on your way to becoming successful.

If you are not sure whether you will enjoy acting as a full-time career, the first recommendation is that you look for a role as a film extra. There are many sites on the Internet where you can enroll to acting websites for free, and there are always plenty of opportunities of becoming a film extra. You will not be paid a great deal of money (around £50 per day), but it will give you an insight and a feel of what working in the movie industry is really like.

The days will be long, and there will be a lot of waiting around until you are ready for your 5 seconds of ‘fame’, but if you enjoy the experience of being a film extra, you will be far more likely to continue pursuing an acting career.

Once you have established whether the acting industry is for you, it would then be advisable to enrol in a few acting lessons, just to learn the basics requirements of acting. Again there are many acting schools or drama schools, which can be found in your local area, who do not charge the earth (between £70-£100 for up to 8 lessons). If you are serious about becoming an actor, then this would be a well worth investment and a good foundation for your acting career.

When you are starting a new career in acting, it will take time to develop an acting style of your own. To be a successful actor, you have to offer something unique, so that you will stand out from others.

So while you are developing your own style of acting, it may be worth while studying other successful actors to establish what makes them so successful.

For example, you can start with your favorite actor. Watch as many movies starring your favorite actor as you can. Take careful attention to how they move, what their posture is like and how they deliver their lines in each movie. Ask yourself why you actually like the actor, what draws you to them? Do they use the same acting style in each of their movies or do they vary the acting style?

As part of the research into successful actors, it’s also important to establish how long have they been successful for. Have they been acting for decades, or are they new to the acting scene?

There will be some actors who will be very successful, but only for a short while. This could be because they have been noticed purely for their looks, and not for their acting ability. Then when the looks start to fade, there is nothing left to secure a successful or long career.